UCPN Maoist ready for unconditional support to NC: Pun
KATHMANDU (Rudra Karki): UCPN-Maoist leader Barsha Man Pun has said that his party will provide unconditional support to support the formation of a government in Nepali Congress leadership. He said “our party will support NC government even if we stay in opposition” he said while speaking an interaction program organised by the Reporters’ Club Nepal in the Capital on Tuesday.
He said that his party will not engage in power game and will play constructive role by upholding the ‘consensus principles’ to build the Constitution within one year while remaining in the opposition, while speaking at the program presided by the Club’s president Rishi Dhamala.
He stressed that the current concern of the changing both President and Vice-President is justifiable as the nation has received a new mandate, but added that the it was a deviation for party’s to indulge in the debate considering their promise to deliver constitution within a year.
Pun said that his party has requested all political parties to concentrate on the process of promulgating the Constitution rather than on changing of President and Vice-president.
Appreciating the latest Four Point Pact among the political parties, he said that the Four Point agreement among the parties has opened the door of agreement and raised the faiths of democratic process. He said, “Now Country will go ahead in a political agreement.”
He claimed that his party was working on selecting its PR candidates for the CA and added that the list will be finalized by Wednesday. He ruled out prevalence of any internal strife within the party regarding the candidates and said that the list will be submitted within the Election Commission’s (EC) deadline.
Speaking at the same programme, Nepali Congress (NC) leader Arjun Narshing K.C. opined Presidency should not be used as a bargain chip in forming the new government. Stating that bringing the ‘neutral institution’ will politicize it and deprive Nepali of a common non-political institution. He said that the issue could be resolved by entering an agreement to elect new president before the demise of the CA.
However KC said that his party will continue coordinating with the CPN UML in forming the new government and drafting constitution as mandated to both parties by the recent CA polls.
“NC won’t disrespect peoples mandate by boycotting the UML in government formation and constitution drafting,” KC said.
Praising the Four Point Pact as the victory of democracy he stressed that, “it would be maximum possible to form a Committee for promulgating the constitution by CA but it is impossible to build a committee beyond the CA.
Commenting on the issue of his party’s Prime Ministerial candidate, KC said that the party will come up with its candidate in consensus along with parliamentary party leader.
CPN-UML leader Pradeep Gyawali, however confronted NC’s position on selecting a new president stating that a new President should be selected on the basis of mandate given to the CA. He appreciated the positive role played by President Ram Baran Yadav, while stressing on the need to reset the political setup as per the new CA mandate and said that the process is also a part of the constitution drafting.
He said that his party would stay in opposition if that ensured the formation of a consensus government incorporating all political parties. He added that all the issues concerning power division, general policy and programme and government operation should be resolved in a package. He warned NC of not using the Maoist card against the agreement.
Gyawali said, Nepali Congress wants to separate the UML by using such card while parties at the threshold for the package agreement. Being the largest party, Nepali Congress should prepare the package proposal, Gyanwali said.
He expressed dissatisfaction towards political parties for loosing so many weeks by indulging in secondary issue and called on all parties to focus on constitution drafting.